“Where are the dogs now?”
“Chained down in the pit-hole,” responded Mrs. Pain.
“Margery says there is no pit-hole, and the dogs were not chained down,” asserted Meta.
“Margery’s nothing but an old woman. Don’t you believe her. If she tells stories again, we’ll chain her down with the dogs.”
“Two of the dogs are outside,” said Meta.
“Not the same dogs, child,” returned Mrs. Pain with cool equanimity. “They are street dogs, those are.”
“They are with the carriage,” persisted Meta. “They are barking round it.”
“Are they barking? They can see Margery’s face at the nursery window, and are frightened at it. Dogs always bark at ugly old women’s faces. You tell Margery so.”
“Margery’s not ugly.”
“You innocent little simpleton! She’s ugly enough to frighten the crows.”